a few days later obama officials were still telling a different story. >> the best assessment we have today that in fact this was not a preplanned attack. that what happened initially it was a spontaneous reaction to what had transpired in cairo as a consequence of the video. >> based on what we know now and knew at the time we have no evidence of a preplanned or premeditated attack. >> shep: the day after that comment. jay carney said it is i think self-evident what happened in benghazi was a terrorist attack. he says the president agrees. quote, it is certainly the case it is in our view that the president's view that it was a terrorist attack. our chief intelligence correspondent katherine heritage what more are we learning. >> reporter: within 24 hours of attack, u.s. intelligence officials believe it was terrorism and the work of a specific group with an al-qaeda affiliate in north africa. there were strong leads that al-qaeda's affiliate working with a second group that wants to make an state. but no one believes that it was just the work of mob. defense secretary telling report